Three rental firms lose S$500,000 in alleged scam involving fake consultancy company
Three construction equipment rental companies have lost about S$500,000 after leasing heavy machinery to a firm that vanished without payment. The company, Revivify, allegedly operated under a false address and issued misleading documents.
- Three equipment rental firms lost about S$500,000 after renting machinery to Revivify, which vanished without payment.
- Revivify’s registered office address was fake, and its stated business activities did not match its dealings.
- Police are investigating; affected companies plan tighter client vetting and GPS tracking for future rentals.
Three construction equipment rental firms have reported combined losses of about S$500,000 after allegedly falling victim to a scam involving a consultancy company operating under a false address.
The companies claim they rented heavy machinery to a firm called Revivify, which failed to return the equipment or provide payment, according to a report by CNA.
The Singapore Police Force confirmed that investigations are ongoing after police reports were lodged by the affected firms.
New Town Engineering was among the first to raise concerns. A representative from Revivify contacted the company in May 2025 to rent two excavators. The man paid for the first month’s lease in June, but when asked to extend the rental, he requested more time to pay.
When New Town staff later visited Revivify’s registered office at International Plaza, they found that no such company existed at the location. The premises were occupied by another, unrelated business.
New Town eventually tracked one of its excavators to a site at 29 Penjuru Lane and managed to reclaim it after about 10 hours of administrative discussions with police. The other machine remains missing, with total losses estimated between S$55,000 and S$60,000.
In a Facebook post, New Town Engineering warned other companies about possible syndicates using shell firms to “rent and disappear with high-value equipment”.
Cherly Equipment Service also reported losing four excavators worth around S$240,000. Its managing director, Tang Siang Hong, said no payment was received and attempts to retrieve the equipment were unsuccessful.
Multi Ways Equipment was the third firm affected. Employee Derrick said Revivify initially requested welding machines and wheel loaders for a Seletar North project before redirecting delivery to 29 Penjuru Lane.
When Derrick visited the site on 10 June, he described it as “just bare land, like a dumping ground”. One loader was found, but three others—worth about US$200,000—remain missing.
Multi Ways later received a letter from Revivify’s “legal team” accusing it of breaching the rental agreement, but communication ceased soon after.
To prevent future losses, Multi Ways said it will introduce GPS tracking and stricter client background checks.
According to records from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), Revivify was registered in 2021 as a consultancy firm offering port and maritime-related services. Its current dealings in construction equipment rentals are inconsistent with that business scope, raising doubts about its legitimacy.
All three companies have urged others in the industry to conduct more rigorous due diligence when leasing high-value machinery.
